No Hesitations
by Aquila Aqua
Summary: No hesitation. That's what Muraku knew when his brother was reaped for the 73th games. No hesitation. That's what Muraku knew in order to win the games. Hunger Games Au, two-shot. Hints of Muraku x Hikari (oc). Mentions of Hikaru.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Danball Senki WARS or Hunger Games.**

**Summary: No hesitation. That's what Muraku knew when his brother was reaped for the 73th games. No hesitation. That's what Muraku knew in order to win the games. Hunger Games Au, two-shot. Hints of Muraku x Hikari (oc)**

* * *

No hesitation. That's what Muraku thought when Fifi, District 4's escort asked for volunteers for the male tribute. There was no way he was going to let Wataru go into the Arena. He wouldn't last a day there even though he's from one of the Career districts. That's why he immediately stepped forward and went up to the stage.

"I volunteer." He said in his firm, cool voice. All the cameras were turned on him and his face appeared on the large screen in front of them. Only Wataru, his mother, and his closest friends could see the fear in his eyes.

"Well, don't we have one handsome volunteer!?" Fifi squeaked with her fake grin growing larger by the minute. "Why don't you come up here and give us your name?"

Muraku took a deep breath and went on the stage. "Houjou Muraku."

* * *

He barely remembered his goodbyes to his mother and his friends. Wataru had come in after they had left and burst into tears, wishing that he did not have to do this for his sake.

Muraku could only comfort him, saying that he could not stand aside and let him get killed in the games. Because he is his little brother, related or not.

The train ride was a blur but he could remember his mentors, Finnick and Mags, drilled the importance of keeping up with appearances while keeping an eye out for anything that can help them in the arena. His partner, Jamie, had only shrugged and walked off halfway through it. Either she was not interested or arrogant enough to believe she could win if she depended on herself or she had given up. Personally, he believes it's the third one.

"Do you have an idea of a strategy for the games?" Finnick asked when he was done.

Muraku looked squarely in the eye and whispered, "Don't hesitate to survive."

Finnick and Mags each raised an eyebrow and exchanged glances. Finnick shrugged. "Sounds good enough for me."

* * *

During the chariot ride, Jamie mostly ignored him and the other tributes which was good enough for him. As his eyes swept along the line of tributes, looking for the ones he should be cautious of, his eyes caught sight of the two blonds from District 6. He could immediately tell that they are twins and from what he remembered from watching the recap of the reaping, the male tribute had volunteered like he did. He chalked it down as the brother wanted to protect his sister in the arena.

While it was a noble cause, there was no doubt it would cause more harm than good. It would only draw more attention to them in his opinion.

But what truly caught his attention is the fact that while the female tribute looks scared and terrified, there was a sly glint in her eyes that was shared along with her brother. There was something about her that reminded him of Wataru.

Muraku silently shook his head to clear it of those thoughts and focused back on the rest of the line of tributes. But even so, he's eyes would flicker back to District 6's female every now and then.

* * *

No hesitation. Muraku knew that he will not hold back anything when Caesar asks him questions. Even the ones he did not want to answer.

"Let them know who you are." Finnick told him. "That way, they will gain an interest in you and will be willing to sponsor you."

"I thought they already are?"

"It's a competition with the other mentors, mostly with the careers'. If one career impresses the entire capitol, the others will lose sponsors. It may not be significant in the beginning, but as the games progress, you will find that you will have to leave the careers at some point. That's when sponsorship becomes very important."

Muraku nodded as he processed this information in his brain. It made sense to him, that's why he was willing to do this. So far, he had managed to gain an interest from the capitol since his cool demure gave them the impression that he was a cold hearted killer. But for his final question, Caesar asked the dreaded question.

"So why did you volunteer?"

Muraku's eyes narrowed at the question and he subconsciously tapped his thigh with his finger, a habit he had when he was thinking. "This may seem strange from what you have already thought about me. But the truth is, Wataru is my cousin from my mother's side. His parents passed away several years ago and he has been living with us since. I see him more as a little brother than merely a cousin that came to live with us. I will win the games to show that he does not need to feel guilty for putting me in the games. I will win and present myself as a victor."

Caesar's eyebrows shot up at Muraku's declaration. "Wow, those are fighting words. I hope your brother will be watching this so that he can see how determine you are to win for him."

The buzzer buzzed and Caesar and Muraku shook hands. "Good luck in the games."

Muraku bowed and took his seat. As the interviews went on, Murak could not help but feel the gaze of one of the tributes was constantly on him. But he did not dare to turn and see who it was. It was not until it was District 6's female tribute's turn that he felt it extinguish.

As the blond female went up stage, everyone was taken in by her fearful red rim eyes. But for some reason, Muraku could tell that she made them up.

"Hikari, how do you feel?" Caesar asked her.

'Hikari, so that was her name.' Muraku mused. The rest of her interview went on with her and Caesar going over the pros and cons of having a sibling in the arena with you.

* * *

"The part about your cousin was unnecessary." Finnick told Muraku after the interviews.

"You told me to tell them everything about myself." Muraku retorted.

Finnick sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. "Alright, I said that but still, it was unnecessary. Because of that, your sponsorship percentage had dropped."

"But not significantly."

Finnick threw up his hands in frustration. "Take this seriously. You are going to have to convince the capitol you are a coldblooded killer if you want to push up the number of sponsors again."

Muraku did not dare to tell him that being a coldblooded killer was something he swore to Wataru that he would not become. Luckily, Finnick was done with him and dismissed him. So he went over to the elevators but stopped when he saw Hikari waiting for it too.

As though she sensed him, she turned around and frowned. "If it isn't the cold hearted killer."

"And if it isn't the deceiver." He retorted. "You are not going to trick me with your weak act."

Hikari was visibly shock that he managed to see through her façade and smirked. "Well, you are certainly one to be careful of."

"I could say the same to you."

The elevator doors opened and they stepped inside together. Muraku eyed her carefully. "I thought you always stick close to your brother."

"Not always." She shook her head. "By the way, good luck in getting more sponsors." She winked at him. "I agree with your mentor that telling the capitol of your cousin would only lower their esteem of you."

Muraku's jaw dropped open but before he could question her, the elevator stopped at the fourth floor and he knew he had to get out.

"By the way, it was nice meeting you." She smiled sincerely before the elevator doors closed on them.

Muraku was frozen on the spot. There's no way he could easily forget her now.

* * *

Muraku did not hesitate to stab the girl from District 3 with his spear when she tried to lunge at him with a knife in hand. Even so, he made sure that it was a merciful, quick-ending death. He will only kill in self-defense, not because he is pressured to give the audience of the capitol a good bloodbath.

While the other careers gathered up all the supplies and moved the bodies into one pile at the other side of the Cornucopia, he did a quick look and was slightly relief there were no blonds. But he saw Jamie's face in the pile and his heart sank. She may had given up on all hope and knew that she would die either way in the games, but still, she was his district partner.

"Gather everything up and we'll go hunting!" Their leader/District 2's male, Bruce declared. This was met with cheers from everyone in the Career group save Muraku who pretended to busy himself by sorting out the supplies.

"Hey purple boy, give some response." Bruce said mocking at him, towering over him.

"I would rather save my energy for more important things than doing war cries." Muraku said nonchalantly.

"Like?"

"Hunting prey." Muraku smirked.

Bruce paused and turned to everyone. "I like his way of thinking."

Muraku smirked and went back to his work, ignoring the burning stares of everyone at his back.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything from Danball Senki WARS or Hunger Games.**

* * *

He could not believe it. It has only been two days since Bruce died mysteriously. No one knows exactly what happened since he was away from the Careers and the body was removed before they could get to him. Now, he must not hesitate to run. District 1's female, Glitter, had taken charge and her first line of order was to turn the remaining Careers against him.

"Gah!" He cried out in pain when Glitter's spear nicked his side deeply. "I should have expected this." He muttered to himself as he avoided a knife to his head. His side was already bleeding heavily and he knew that he has to find shelter away from the Careers if he did not want to bleed to death.

After a few more seconds of running, he risked a glance behind and saw that they had mostly gave up. Only Glitter's partner, Jewel, was following him, but he was gaining on him.

An arrow shot out of nowhere, causing Muraku to roll to the side to avoid it. But the arrow hit flesh and the cannon boomed. Muraku dared to turn around and saw Jewel's lifeless body on the ground with the arrow stuck in his skull.

"I see that you are still alive."

Muraku slowly turned around and saw Hikari pointing her arrow at him. "Why did you help me?"

"I didn't." She told him curtly. Her hands trembled as she stepped closer. "I wanted to avenge my brother."

Muraku blinked. He then remembered that Glitter had bragged about her kills the day before and he was fairly certain she mentioned District 6's male. That plus the nightly announcement of the faces of the kids killed confirmed her story.

"What happened?" He carefully asked.

"Just the day after we took down your leader, she tracked us down. Hikaru made me hide while he faced her. I was going to help him, but she killed him!" She all but yelled. Tears were falling down her cheeks by then.

Muraku knew that one wrong move and she could let her fingers go of the arrow. "Then why don't we form an alliance?"

Hikari blinked in surprise but did not falter. "What?"

"I'm saying, you have a grudge against Glitter and so do I. The enemy of my enemy is my friend." Muraku told her patiently.

"Not in the games." She hissed. "I know what you will do. Once we get Glitter, you will turn on me."

"It will not be easy considering you managed to take down Bruce."

"That was when I had Hikaru." Hikari frowned.

"But you are still cunning enough to trick everyone into thinking you are a weakling who knows nothing of how to defend yourself. If one of us is going to worry about being betrayed, it should be me."

Hikari thought about it for a moment but did not look convinced. In order to prove to her he wanted the alliance, Muraku threw his spear out of reach and held up his hands so that she could see them.

"I just want your help." He told her slowly. "Once we get our revenge on Glitter, we can go our separate ways."

"Fine." Hikari begrudgingly lowered her bow and extended her hand. "Allies?"

Muraku nodded and did not hesitate to grasp her hand firmly. "Allies."

* * *

For the next two days, they spent most of their time together, tracking down the Careers but Hikari was still suspicious of him to the point she once lost her temper at him. But Muraku knew that it was the pain of losing her brother that was speaking so personally, he did not hold her against it. Later, she apologized for it and to make up for it, she explained the tactic she and Hikaru used to kill Bruce.

On the third day of their alliance, they had encountered Olive, Bruce's partner.

"Well if it isn't the little crybaby and the traitor?" Olive sneered at them when she saw them.

Ignoring her, Muraku hardened his gaze. "Where is Glitter?"

"I don't know." Olive shrugged. "I stopped following her after you killed Jewel. And let me tell you, she was mad about it."

"I did not kill him." Muraku said steely.

"I don't care about that." Olive said offhandedly. "All I care is about winning the games!"

She lunged at them with her sword but Muraku was quicker and blocked her with his spear. As they clashed, Hikari quietly moved to the side and prepped her bow and arrow. Once she saw an opening, she let of the arrow and it pierced Olive's throat open.

Olive gasped and mustered her last strength to turn around as she fell down. A look of disbelief spread across her face. "Impossible…the weakling…" A gasp escaped her lips and her eyes glossed over. When the cannon sounded, Muraku relaxed.

"So this was the tactic you and Hikaru used?"

Hikari nodded curtly and gathered up the arrow. "Come on. We got to cover more ground before the sun sets."

But they did not get that far before they saw Glitter standing in the middle of a field with one hand wrapped around her sickle while the other was on her hip. She smirked when she saw them and raised her weapon. "I find it hard to believe the both of you made it up to the top eight. I expected Olive to finish the both of you but, it seems that I was wrong. Then again, I was planning to have the both of you fight her so that I can get rid of two birds with one stone."

Muraku glared at her and pushed Hikari behind him. "Why did you turn Jewel and Olive against me?"

"Isn't it obvious? Bruce respects you too much to allow any of us lay a finger on you. The three of us knew that you are too dangerous to be left alive so I waited until the time was right and convincing them did not take too much effort." Glitter giggled. An arrow went flying past her just inches away from her head, making her stop and glare at Hikari.

"I'm sorry, but you were getting noisy. And I have yet to tell you that we are not happy tributes and we will end you here right here and right now!" Hikari said coldly.

"Very well." Glitter growled. "Only one of us will walk away from here!"

* * *

One shot. That's all it took for Glitter to fall. She was too preoccupied with Hikari that she failed to remember Muraku's presence until he blocked a blow that would have taken off Hikari's head.

"My, my, you must have gotten softer to protect her like that." Glitter mocked.

Muraku narrowed his eyes and they continued to fight for a while until Muraku accidentally left hi side unguarded and Glitter ran her sickle at it, reopening the injuries he had gotten from her the other day.

Glitter smirked and pointed her sickle underneath his throat. "Any last words?"

Muraku glared at her until something made him smirk. "Yes, look behind you."

Glitter frowned but her eyes became wide when she remembered Hikari and spun around just as an arrow was shot at her heart. She staggered back and dropped her sickle.

"Your biggest strength maybe your power and aggressiveness, but in the end, it is your biggest weakness when you forget to be aware of your surroundings." Muraku told her quietly as she ripped the arrow out, dying before she hit the ground.

* * *

As the campfire flickered, Hikari and Muraku packed their respective items in their backpacks.

"As promised, we will go our separate ways in the morning." Hikari reminded him.

Muraku nodded and put his bag aside. "I never got to tell you this before, but you are an amazing person."

Hikari froze and cocked her head at him. "What do you mean?"

"You use your weak face to hide your cruel side. But I believe even your cruel side is a façade." Muraku patiently explained. "I know that you are a good person at heart and you hate the fact you have to kill to survive."

"That was all in the past." Hikari rubbed her wrist unconsciously.

"Whatever you say." Muraku shrugged and lied down. "I still stick to what I believe."

When Hikari thought that he was a sleep, she allowed her tears to flow freely. "You are wrong, I threw away any good that was in my heart the moment I lost the only person left who cared for and loved me."

"You are wrong."

Hikari jumped and made a move to grab her bow and arrows when a hand stopped her. She looked at its owner warily. "I thought you were asleep."

"I wasn't." Muraku simply said. He softened his gaze and pulled her close. "You are wrong when you said that there is no more goodness in your heart."

"How would you know?" Hikari said stiffly.

"I know that you haven't thrown it away completely otherwise you would have allowed Jewel to kill me or left me to bleed to death." Murku pointed out. "Also, I do care about you, more than you think."

He pulled her into a hug but pulled away before she could respond. "Good night."

He went back to his spot and closed his eyes. The next morning when he woke up, there was no sign of Hikari.

* * *

He has been travelling around the whole morning but has yet to see any sign of Hikari or the other three tributes left. Before the capitol got bored and the game makers did something to bring them together, he knew he has to at least find someone to pacify their thirst of blood for the time being.

But a sharp scream pulled him out of his musing and he turned pale. "Hikari!" Without wasting any time, he ran off to the source of it.

But by the time he gets to her, it was too late. District 8's male had silted her throat open before he sent his spear at his head. He dropped down to her side and gently picked her up. "Hikari. Can you hear me?"

Her eyes fluttered open and she grimaced. "Muraku, why are you here?"

"I heard you scream." Muraku reached over to his bag to grab some of the rags he had used to wrap up his side injury but Hikari stopped him.

"Listen, I'm sorry I never said goodbye before I ran. I was scared that you would turn your back on me."

Muraku sighed and held her closer. "I'm only sorry that I could not protect you."

"I don't really care about that. Like I told you, I lost every single one of my love ones. I would not have been able to cope with the pain even if I came out of the arena alive."

"But you still have me now."

Hikari gave him a weak smile but coughed out blood. "I was jealous of you the moment I saw you take your cousin's place in the reaping. You have a reason to fight, and a home and a family to go back to. I, on the other hand, have nothing back at District 6."

"Hikari, you are my friend, and…maybe more, but you are not seeing the bigger picture. Hikaru knew that he was not going to come out alive if it means keeping you safe. He knew the risk when he volunteered. I care about you to the point I would willingly give up my life if it meant your survival."

Hikari closed her eyes and buried her head in his chest. "We both know that you are going to be the one coming out of the arena now. There is no way you can save me even with all the medicine on hand." She grasped his hand tightly. "Promise me that you will come out of the arena alive and when you go home, tell your family how happy you are to be with them. Nothing last long. So make most of your time with them."

Muraku nodded and rested his head on her cheek. "I promise."

He felt her breath her last breath and her limp hand slipped out of his grasp. Gently and carefully, he lowered her and left the place, refusing to look back as her lifeless body and her killer's was removed.

* * *

No hesitations. Muraku was watching the last two tributes besides him fight each other. He could not believe his luck when he stumbled upon them. The fight did not last long as the younger tribute's head was severed off. He did not give the victor of the small squabble time to react and hurled his spear straight at his eye.

He was crowned as the victor that very day. The victor of the 73th Hunger Games. When he got back home to District 4, he and his family was moved to the Victor's Village. Fulfilling his promise to Hikari, he made most of the time he had with his mother and Wataru, appreciating every small moment with them.

* * *

Muraku did not bat an eyelid as he and Finnick watched Katniss and Peeta kiss. He had volunteered to take Mag's place that year so that she can take care of Annie, Finnick's lover.

"Are you thinking about her?" Finnick asked when he noticed how quiet Muraku was.

"If the girl was more sincere, I would like to think that we would have ended up like them."

Finnick shook his head. "You haven't let go of her. Though I have to admit, she's got some good acting skills. The boy…I feel bad for him. She does not understand that he really likes her and is using him to win."

"Let it go you too." Brutus snorted as he came over to them to watch. "I think this lovey-dovey thing going on between them won't fool the game makers and Cato and Clove will definitely win."

"Are you absolutely sure that the rule of two from the same district would save them?" Muraku asked without tearing his eyes from the screen. "I think they only made it up so that District 12 would entertain them. But once it is over, they will invoke it."

"You got a point there." Brutus reluctantly admitted. "But if so, I'd say Cato will win."

Finnick and Muraku raised an eyebrow but did not say anything. Instead, Finnick and Brutus went off talking about future tributes while Muraku continued to watch them.

"They will not win like this…not unless she thinks up of a miracle." A small smirk tugged at his lips. "Just like Hikari, being a deceiver."


End file.
